Webisode Clack – Universal Dead and Hamilton Carver

If you’ve been following along in pop culture, you may have surmised that the next big thing after our current vampire fascination is going to be zombies. Well … it’s that or women’s college softball. But right now the smart money is on zombies. Given that the web series world is such a fast moving place, the zombie explosion has already begun. This week we look at two very different takes on the zombie, Universal Dead and Hamilton Carver, Zombie P.I.

There are only two episodes of Universal Dead live at the moment, but it’s already clear that this is firmly in the traditional zombie family. And I don’t say that because it lacks originality. The background information on the series hints at some interesting things in the offing. It is, however, very familiar feeling with the way we are introduced to the zombies, and the other characters reactions to them.

All of that is okay by me, because the classic zombie story is still a solid one. Even better, Universal Dead also brings with it a pretty impressive cast that includes DB Sweeney (recalling a bit of his Harsh Realm character), Gary Graham, and Doug Jones (Trivia: He was one of The Gentlemen on Buffy!). The show also looks fantastic. Humvees, military installations, helicopter shots … this isn’t a small production.

The promise of those things is what we’re really banking on here. It’s too early to call, but based on what is available now, this is one to watch. There is loads of potential. Keep an eye on the official Universal Dead site for more. Here’s what we have so far.

Turning 180 degrees from that, we find Hamilton Carver, Zombie P.I. Hamilton is anything but a conventional zombie. There’s no staggering, or moaning, or hunger for brains. In fact, he still has his swagger, and his looks. Rather than a traditional zombie story, this is more a sendup of noir detectives like Mike Hammer and Philip Marlowe. You know … if they were zombies … who hunted ninjas … after making a bet with the devil….

If that sounds just a little crazy, it is. And you really have to jump in with both feet and embrace the insanity. Once that hurdle is crossed, the show is a lot of fun.  Ben Cunis, who is also the writer, is great as Hamilton. From his Spillaneesque voiceovers to his iron-jawed tough guy bent on revenge, Hamilton is just who you would want him to be. And he’s matched by Kelsey Ray Grouge as The Lips, the dame this whole story started with. With a fedora pulled low over her eyes, and a cigarette in hand, she makes a perfect femme fatale.

The two are joined by some very fun characters as they make their way through the mystery, including an important cameo from director Clint Herring. But I don’t want to give too much of the story away here. Drop your expectations of what a zombie P.I. might be, and jump in with both feet. You can catch the first eight episodes over at KoldCast, and follow the show on the website, twitter, and facebook. Also, if you’re in the Washington D.C. area, you can catch some of the cast at the Synetic Theater. Here’s episode 1.

Clacked by Brett Love
on Jun 09, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT